


The T-Shirt (Ready for Aliens)

by martianapplecrumble



Category: Invader Zim
Genre: Angst, Humor, M/M, Rating May Change
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-20
Updated: 2019-03-20
Packaged: 2019-11-26 05:12:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,254
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18176294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/martianapplecrumble/pseuds/martianapplecrumble
Summary: "He bought the t-shirt a couple of days ago and absolutely loved it. It was black, and had a white print which said "ready for aliens" and featured a flying sauser stealing an anatomical-looking heart. Of course, Dib had his own secret reason for buying this t-shirt, and, unfortunately, Gaz was smart enough to figure it out."





	The T-Shirt (Ready for Aliens)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone!  
> So, this was originally planned as an one-shot to go with my artwork, and it can be read as such. However, it can become a multi-chapter fic if I do complete the second chapter, heh.

It was a cool spring evening, like any other evening in the town. Everything, apart from one mysterious small purple house, seemed perfectly normal. Even at the Membrane house it was more or less quiet and calm.  
Dib and Gaz were chilling on the couch in the living room while their dad worked in his lab. Gaz sat in the corner, her attention fixed on the game in her GameSlave-2, while Dib was lying with his legs stretched out, watching TV.  
Dib was wearing his new t-shirt. He bought it a couple of days ago and absolutely loved it. It was black, and had a white print which said "ready for aliens" and featured a flying sauser stealing an anatomical-looking heart. Of course, Dib had his own secret reason for buying this t-shirt, and, unfortunately, Gaz was smart enough to figure it out.  
"Geez, Dib, did you fall that hard for the alien?" she asked, lifting her gaze from the game to look at Dib.  
Dib blushed quickly and tried to sound as normal as possible.  
"I- I didn't fall for him, Gaz! I don't know what you are talking about!"  
"Yes, you do," Gaz muttered, her eyes back to the game now. "Honestly, I don't know which is worse, you rambling for HOURS about how Zim is an alien and no one believes you or you rambling for HOURS AGAIN about Zim's "beautiful green skin"," she stuck her tongue out in disgust. "When will you stop annoying me?!"  
"I... um..." Dib muttered something again and turned back to the TV, his face a deep red color.  
Seriously, he had no idea himself. When he was 13, his goal was to expose Zim to everyone. He hated the alien with a passion, he enjoyed bullying him and fighting him endlessly and every day. But, as years passed and he grew a little older, he suddenly noticed that his feelings had changed.  
Maybe it was just the hormones. Maybe it was the realisation that he just won't be able to prove that Zim is an alien, and even if he will do it, people won't believe him or will regard it as something normal, or maybe a rare disease. Maybe it was the fact that Zim has also grown up a little, even if not as much as Dib, and became more attractive. Maybe it was all of those together. But...  
Dib didn't stare at Zim to catch him doing something weird anymore - instead, he was admiring the Irken's perfectly smooth skin and large eyes. He didn't feel like causing him pain anymore. His head was still full of Zim, like before, but these thoughts were completely different. About the way Zim looks and speaks and acts, about how it would feel to hold him, to kiss him, to be with him.  
When Dib finally realized that he was completely head-over-heels for Zim, it was too late for him to stop it. He just kind of accepted it and kept it as a secret.  
He bought the t-shirt on impulse. He saw it in a shop he passed at the mall and just felt that he had to buy it. Which he did, and now it was his and he loved it.  
"You do realize that he hardly knows what love is, huh?" Gaz said, pressing the buttons on her console rapidly.  
"It's not like I can control it, Gaz," Dib sighed, hugging his knees.  
Gaz was quiet for a while, just clicking and slamming on the buttons and muttering curses at the monsters on the screen. It was good five minutes before she spoke again.  
"You know what, Dib? Let's make a deal. If I can beat this stupid boss this time, you will wear this t-shirt to school tomorrow."  
"What's in it for me?" Dib raised an eyebrow.  
Gaz made a face.  
"Well... if I lose again, you can have the rest of FrankenFlakes," she shrugged.  
Dib considered this for a while. He... he couldn't go to school in this t-shirt. No way. Maybe others won't think much of it, since no one believed that Zim was an alien, but... what will Zim say? How will he react, if at all? Dib just didn't want to risk it, Zim will probably mock him and make fun of his feelings and hurt him. But.. Gaz couldn't beat this boss for two hours already, and having so much of his favorite cereal without having to fight for it seemed promising.  
"Okay, deal," Dib nodded.  
Gaz huffed something and went back to her game. Dib turned away, watching the paranormal show on the TV screen.  
***  
"I won."  
"Huh?!"  
"I won. I beat it, Dib."  
Dib stared at Gaz, his eyes wide with horror.  
"But... but I can't wear this to school! What will Zim say?!"  
"We will see," Gaz smirked.  
"But-"  
"A deal is a deal, Dib," Gaz cut him off.  
"Why did I even agree to this..." Dib sighed, burying his face in his hands.  
"Because you like the flakes and because I am tired of you talking about Zim. Just confess your feelings for him already and stop annoying me," Gaz said in a tired voice, turning her full attention to the game once again.  
Dib wanted to hit his head against the wall. Repeatedly.  
***  
It truly felt like a walk of shame. The entire way from his home to his seat in the classroom felt like a mental nightmare. No one actually said a word about his t-shirt, no one even as much as looked at it, but the embarassment Dib felt was beyond measure.  
Especially when he sat down in his seat and felt a pair of eyes staring at him and practically burning him.  
Dib turned his head. It was Zim. Of course it was Zim and now he was eyeing him and thinking what an idiot he was. Dib gritted his teeth. Tip to self: never make a deal with Gaz again.  
Maybe at least Zim wouldn't say anything about it.  
His hopes, however, were crushed during lunch break, when he was eating his food next to Gaz and Zim approached their table.  
"Dib-stink," Zim spoke. "Zim needs to speak with you. Just the two of us."  
Dib felt hot embarassment, with maybe a bit of excitement, wash all over him.  
"I- um, yeah. Sure."  
Dib got up from the table and followed Zim out of the canteen. He swore he could see Gaz's evil smirk with the back of his head.  
***  
Zim led him to a quiet corner where no one would hear them.  
"So, what do you want?" Dib asked in the most neutral way possible.  
"Zim wants you to come to his base after school today," Zim answered, smirking slightly and showing his light-purple teeth a little.  
Dib's heart sped up at these words. Wait... has this actually worked out for the best? Zim... actually liked him back? Really??  
"S-sure, I will go with you," Dib nodded, trying to sound normal.  
"Perfect. Now go and finish your filthy lunch."  
Zim licked his lips briefly and walked away, leaving Dib confused, worried, excited and deep in thought at the same time.  
***  
Of course Dib told Gaz about this, getting an "oh finally no more annoying talks about Zim" in response.  
"Gaz, just think about that! He actually invited me! That means he wants me around, right? What do you think we will do? Does he just want to hang around? Zim doesn't seem like the hanging-out type, bu-"  
"DIB." Gaz gave him a look that could kill. "STOP BUGGING ME OR I WILL HIDE YOUR STUPID T-SHIRT FOREVER."  
"WHA... I... okay," Dib sighed, stopping his relentless chatting.  
For the rest of the day, he dreamed about himself and Zim, lying on the couch at Zim's place, hugging, kissing and enjoying each other's company. It just seemed so cozy and pleasant to him, and he honestly couldn't ask for more.  
***  
He walked with Zim after school. It felt a little strange, because, well, they weren't fighting or bickering over something. Just walking together and talking about random stuff. Even if the talk wasn't too friendly, it still made Dib's heart flutter. After all, it was Zim he was talking to. And he was quite close to him, allowing Dib to take a closer look at his face and uniform. The uniform hugged his slim body tightly, making the Irken even more irresistable.  
They entered Zim's house and Gir greeted them at the door.  
"I need to stay alone with the Dib now, Gir," Zim told him.  
"Okie dokie!" Gir smiled, storming away.  
They were alone in the room now, and Dib felt his hands sweat a little.  
However, Zim didn't stop there. Instead, he went to his elevator, gesturing Dib to follow. Soon, they were in a room with pink metal walls which looked like... a laboratory? A surgery room? Dib looked around, confused.  
Suddenly, four tubes flew out of Zim's PAK, pinning Dib to the wall behind him.  
Dib's eyes went wide in shock.  
"HEY, wha-"  
"Well," Zim grinned, cocking his head to the side, "how would you like your heart removed, human?"  
Dib stared at him, confused.  
"My... heart? Removed?!"  
"Of course! Doesn't your filthy t-shirt thing say that you are ready for aliens to harvest your heart? Zim is confused why you would suddenly surrender like this, but is still happy. So, should Zim painlessly abduct it or would you like a surgery?"  
Dib felt his heart crack into pieces as his whole body went cold with horror. This... this turned out even worse than he supposed. Of course Zim didn't know Earth's love symbols or customs, except for well, the Valentine meat. Of course he took his t-shirt too literally. Which meant two things. One, Zim still hated him, and sure as hell he didn't like him back. Two, he was certainly going to die.  
"You do realize that he hardly knows what love is, huh?" Gaz's words echoed in his head. He should have listened. He should have never agreed to her deal. Never.  
Dib had to shut his eyes tight so the tears wouldn't spill out. Not in front of Zim. Not when he is about to be dissected.  
"What's taking so long, human? Zim will decide for you if you won't!" Zim snapped impatiently, already choosing a tool.  
Dib snapped out of his misery. Forget his feelings for Zim for now. He must get out of here. He must think of a plan.  
He couldn't run away with his arms and legs pinned to the wall by PAK tubes. There must be a way to somehow trick Zim.  
"So, Dib-filth. Zim doesn't want to clean your bloody mess off his beautiful floor, so he will get your heart with this superior irken tool. Behold!" Zim yelled, looking at something above Dib's head.  
Dib looked up and saw a thick wire with a large glass tube attached to it. It was going lower and lower, and Dib suddenly recognized it as the device Zim used to steal organs from kids at school when they were younger.  
Oh, NO.  
"Zim- WAIT!" Dib cried out.  
The device stopped lowering and froze in place. Zim glared at him in annoyance.  
"What is it, human?"  
"I, um..." Zim could only use one tool out of his PAK at a time, right? "I've made up my mind. I want to be um... dissected with something from your superior and amazing PAK."  
Zim froze for a second, and then grinned evilly, baring his teeth. Phew. He bought it.  
"Oh, you should accept it as a gift to be destroyed by something from Almighty Zim's PAK! A spider leg will do... hold on."  
Dib felt the metal tubes finally leave his limbs, and, before Zim could do anything else, he jumped at him, knocking him off his feet.  
"WHAT ARE YOU-" Zim screamed, trying to push Dib off. However, Dib didn't want to fight. He wanted to escape. So he got up and ran to the elevator as fast as he could.  
"DON'T TRY TO RUN! ZIM WILL CATCH YOU YOU STUPID MONKEY!"  
Dib rushed inside the elevator and pressed the ground floor button, the door closing just in time before Zim could catch him.  
As he went up, he heard Zim's loud screeches.  
"YOU LIED TO ZIM! YOU SAID THAT YOU WANT YOUR ORGAN REMOVED AND NOW YOU ESCAPE! YOU LIAR! CURSE YOU, YOU FILTHY CREATURE! CURSE YOUUUUUU!"  
***  
"So," Gaz said, not even bothering to look up from her GameSlave-2. "How did your date go?"  
Dib turned around from where he was standing in the kitchen, shaking with anger and sadness.  
He glared at Gaz, a look that could easily burn a hole in someone. Gaz didn't seem to notice.  
"You know what, Gaz?" Dib muttered through gritted teeth. "Fuck you. Fuck you and your stupid deals."  
"Stupid?" Gaz raised an eyebrow. "It's not like you didn't agree to this. Don't blame me."  
Dib stormed off to his room, his chest full of pain, embarassment and disappointment. He fell down on the bed and burst into tears, trying his best to muffle his sobs with a pillow. He just had to accept it. Zim will never love him. Zim just cannot love anyone. Especially him, because Zim still considered him to be his mortal enemy and wanted him dead.  
Dib pulled off the t-shirt which started it all and threw it into the trash bin without a second thought.


End file.
